Magnitude 6 quake kills one person, brings down houses in northern Pakistan

A Pakistani earthquake survivor walks past a collapsed house in an earthquake-hit area on the outskirts of Mirpur in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir on September 25, 2019. (AFP/ file)
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Updated 19 January 2026
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Magnitude 6 quake kills one person, brings down houses in northern Pakistan

  • Heavy mountain rocks ‍hit several access roads
  • Government moves machinery ⁠to clear all roads

A man died and several houses collapsed ​after an earthquake of magnitude 6 struck northwestern Kashmir in Pakistan on Monday, an official and the European ‌Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) ‌said.

The ‌quake ⁠was ​at ‌a depth of 35 km (21.75 miles), the EMSC said.

Several mud-houses either collapsed or were damaged in Pakistan’s ⁠northern province of Gilgit-Baltistan, ‌regional information minister ‍Ghulam Abbas ‍said.

Heavy mountain rocks ‍hit several access roads and a major highway, he said, adding ​that the government agencies had moved machinery ⁠to clear the roads, he said.

The man died after a rock hit him on a road, the minister added.


Pakistan assures US of facilitating foreign investment, increasing business engagement

Updated 7 sec ago
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Pakistan assures US of facilitating foreign investment, increasing business engagement

  • Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb meets US deputy assistant secretary of South and Central Asian Affairs
  • Both sides discuss Pakistan’s progress in implementing reforms, avenues for increasing economic cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to facilitating foreign investment and enhancing engagement with the American business community, the Finance Division said in a statement. 

The statement was issued after Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb met Mark Pommersheim, the US deputy assistant secretary of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. Pommersheim called on the Pakistani finance minister along with US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker at the Finance Division. 

Both sides discussed Pakistan’s economic outlook, reform agenda and avenues for enhancing bilateral economic cooperation, the statement said. 

“The finance minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to facilitating foreign investment and maintaining regular engagement with the US business community, including the US Chamber of Commerce and the American Business Council,” the Finance Division said. 

Aurangzeb informed the US officials about the progress regarding Pakistan’s macroeconomic stabilization reforms. He shared that Pakistan’s fiscal deficit has declined in recent months while the country’s current account has improved due to strong remittance inflows and growth in IT exports.

The finance minister noted that reforms in Pakistan’s state-owned enterprises and “right-sizing” of the public sector are being accelerated to improve efficiency and reduce fiscal risks.

The Finance Division said Pommersheim acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts toward fiscal stabilization, welcoming improvement in key macroeconomic indicators. 

“He emphasized that the United States values a stable and prosperous Pakistan and noted that strengthening the investment climate remains a shared priority,” the statement said. 

“He observed that US businesses are closely watching reform progress and that improved policy consistency would further support commercial engagement.”

Pakistan has sought to re-energize economic diplomacy with Washington as it attempts to enhance its exports, attract foreign investment and stabilize its economy under an International Monetary Fund-backed reform program.

Relations between Pakistan and the US have improved significantly under President Trump’s administration. In July 2025, the two countries agreed to a bilateral trade deal that included reciprocal tariff reductions. 

Since 2025, the two sides have increased diplomatic contacts, including meetings between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s military leadership and US officials, alongside discussions on trade, minerals, security cooperation and regional stability.